The Jesus Lizard

Still at the height of their prowess just after the release of Down (and before the jump from indie Touch and Go to major Capitol), the gods of spastic noise rock, the Jesus Lizard unleashed this 14-song set. Filmed remarkably well, and featuring great audio, this 1994 Boston set captures the trademarks of any of the Jesus Lizard’s legendary live shows: singer David Yow relentlessly throwing himself into the crowd, baiting the audience in between vocal seizures, while the incredible musicians play fast and loose with "hits” such as "Mouthbreather,” "Puss,” "Boilermaker” and many more. Yow and his craziness are the focal points, although he restrains his usual nudity, but one watches in stunned amazement as he launches himself into the crowd over and over, never seeming to miss a word. This is a welcome reminder of when "indie” music was confrontational and unpredictable, and of a band at their peak. Also included is a five-song set from CBGB from 1992 that sacrifices audio and visual fidelity for a sense of claustrophobia and increased danger.